Today I was advised by the Olivers spare parts guy (Moorooka, Queenland) that I "needed a new lid" as my 26 month old Shoei helmet was non compliant because "the red component of the outside sticker and date of manufacture component of the inside label had faded as designed".

He said "the sticker is designed to fade from UV and the label from moisture / breathe to indicate that it needs to be replaced"...Hmmmm really ??.He also said that that "police were pulling over and checking them".

It felt like nothing more than scare tactics (read sales pitch) to me. I'm very skeptical and can't find any reference to any of this on the QLD dept. of transport site or any bike forums (with Australian members).

It also states a little bit lower down on that link that the helmet must have either a stitched label inside or the sticker on the back of your helmet. Nothing about manufacture date, etc. Must be either Australian standards AS1698 or AS/NZS1698, orUnited Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) 22.05 standard.

Pretty confident you have nothing to be concerned about mate, just a salesman trying his best i guess. Olivers are meant to be ok though so i hear anyway. My inside label is stitched into the top crown padding and like yours faded but still legible. Always going to happen given the conditions inside your average helmet (our Brisbane summers) plus washing them. But surprisingly enough the sticker on the back looks like new even after 4 yrs.

Ok so i just read that story you provided the link to, the link wouldn't work for a bit there for some reason. You are definitely still all good i would say. I am taking a copy of that link and taking his advice and making it available on my phone since the law have such a hard-on for motorcycle riders in Brissie now. Cheers mate.

Cheers. Yeah I'm confident its fine but wanted to see what else others had heard (and to let peeps know of this sales BS).I'm still a little disappointed from the BS he was spruiking tbh. Probably will go elsewhere for parts now as the trust factor is zilch.